Want to quit smoking? TUPAC can help you kick butt

TUPAC can help you quit smoking, for good

Among the tools offered by New Mexico TUPAC are hotlines available in both English (1-800-QUITNOW) and Spanish (1-855-DEJELOYA). The program will also provide free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, trained "quit coaches" and services tailored for tobacco users of all ages. (photos.com)

LAS CRUCES >> No, not that Tupac. We're talking about the New Mexico State Health Department's Tobacco Use Prevention and Control program, designed to support smokers in their quest for their final quit, especially if they've tried before.

Smokers already know that the list of reasons to quit is much more lengthy than the one to continue. They worry about the effect of second-hand smoke on loved ones, to say nothing about their own health. And what about the burgeoning expense of the habit?

Whatever the motivation, many Las Crucens made the decision to quit, and shared their experiences on the Las Cruces Sun-News Facebook site.

Kevin Holmes of Las Cruces made the change,

"I made the decision. I quit cold turkey in 2005 after 18 years as a smoker. I have no regrets and only every reason to be grateful. The key: it was my decision and I wanted it. Nobody told me I had to do it and I wasn't doing it for anyone else. The method: set a date and stick to it. Cleanse the house and the car, wash everything the night before and throw everything smoking related in the trash before bed without a thought as to its value. Wake up the next day a nonsmoker and be reborn," Holmes shares.

Uvy Flores is about to celebrate her first anniversary as a nonsmoker.

"I went from three packs every two weeks to one pack a month. I say I'm making progress," he wrote.

Maria Evaro said quitting is a New Year's resolution.

"I am going to quit smoking for the new year. The reason is because of the insurance. I have smoked since I was 12. That was 19 years ago. I have quit cold turkey before when I was with my ex-husband because he was asthmatic ... and of course, I didn't smoke when I was pregnant. This time is going to be harder quitting because I really don't want to but with the insurance being higher for smokers, I will. I am just going to have to find a new outlet for my stress and stay away from smokers," Evaro posted, and added that she is considering trying electronic cigarettes to help her quit.

Mariaelena Johnson has formed a pact with her spouse.

"My husband's quit date is Dec. 15. I'm so proud of him for making this decision. He has been a smoker since he was 12. I have been a smoker on and off since I was 18. Recently, I experienced great loss and reverted back to the nasty habit. It was the easiest and most reckless thing I could think of doing. Grief is terrible. So, in solidarity with my husband, I, too, will not be picking up that nasty little habit after Dec. 15, 2013," Johnson wrote.

Is 2014 the year you'll finally quit smoking?

If that's your resolution, and even if you've tried and failed before, there are many good reasons to make the attempt and a lot of resources to help you succeed this time.

"We want to have people live. We want people to quit and to be supported while they're thinking about quitting," said Mary Ballard, a regional field coordinator with the TUPAC program.

Making the decision to quit is the crucial first step, Ballard said.

"It only works when it comes from kind of a positive spin. We understand it's tough; there are tools that can help you if you fall off the wagon. We'll be here when you call and we'll be here when you call again," said Ballard, who has been with the program for more than 12 years.

"Nicotine stimulates the same part of the brain that heroin stimulates. It's not like quitting biting your nails or twisting your hair. It's a serious addiction," Ballard said.

Among the tools offered by New Mexico TUPAC are hotlines available in both English (1-800-QUITNOW) and Spanish (1-855-DEJELOYA). The program will also provide free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, trained "quit coaches" and services tailored for tobacco users of all ages.

Individualized plans are very important for success in dealing with a powerful addiction and TUPAC will help you set up a free "personal quit plan" that meets your own needs.

The best way is to start with a mission statement about the reasons you want to quit, Ballard said.

"Everybody is different. We get dippers (those who use chewing tobacco), smokers of cigarettes, cigars - even hookahs. You need to figure out your triggers. It might be when you get in your car, when you have a drink or at a certain time of day. You might wake up at midnight and have a smoke. Education on cessation helps you recognize what your triggers are and planning healthy substitutions, what people can choose to keep hands busy and behavior modification," she said

Both Ballard and David Tompkins, TUPAC community health initiative manager, feel the jury is still out on e-cigarettes, in terms of their effectiveness in helping people quit.

"We just don't know yet, and we don't know about possible side effects," Ballard said.

There seems to be general agreement among experts that the smoker must want to quit.

As with other addictions, interventions can be helpful. Friends, relatives, loved ones and health care providers can all play a role in showing a smoker how important it can be to quality of life for the individual who smokes and for those around him or her.

TUPAC has programs that train healthcare providers to ask if a patient smokes, and if so, advise on how health could be improved by quitting.

If you check with your insurance provider, you may find that there are financial incentives to quit (and possible penalties if you don't).

Also available are support groups, special events and targeted campaigns.

Smoking laws, employers' regulations and nonprofit group efforts like Free the Patio (freethepatio.org) are also making it increasingly difficult for smokers to find places to do their thing without facing penalties or disapproval from others.

New Mexico State University Board of Regents is currently considering an initiative that could make its campuses totally tobacco free by next summer, according to a recent report by Susan Wilson, associate professor at the NMSU Department of Public Health Sciences.

"I am very pleased that NMSU might be on its way to join the growing number of more than 1,100 U.S. colleges and universities that have smoke-free campuses, and 800 campuses that have a 100 percent tobacco-free policy. This growing trend is due to the increasing recognition of the health hazards of tobacco products, including the fact that cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is responsible for one out of every five deaths," Tilahun Adera, dean of NMSU's College of Health and Social services, said in an NMSU media release.

For information on TUPAC and tips, strategies and tools that can help you quit smoking, visit quitnownm.com.

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